South Gloucestershire Council

Published: 10/10/2014

Free flu jabs are available for thousands of people across South Gloucestershire, as local doctors and Directors of Public Health have joined forces to challenge people to play their part in the fight against infection.

A free seasonal flu vaccination – which must be done annually to be effective – is available for:

• Pregnant women
• Children aged two, three and four years old on 1st September 2014 (via a nasal spray)
• People with certain  health conditions
• People aged 65 and over
• Frontline healthcare staff

The World Health Organization recommends people in the vulnerable groups above should be vaccinated to prevent the virus being able to circulate at a harmful level.

Dr Mark Pietroni, Director of Public Health at South Gloucestershire Council, said, “It is really important that as many people as possible in the groups most vulnerable to flu infection book their free flu jab with their GP. Since the flu virus circulates in winter they should do this as soon as possible.

“Some 750,000 people nationwide visit their doctor with flu symptoms with about 27,000 people needing hospital treatment. If more people receive the vaccine then there will be fewer people with flu and so fewer people that others can catch flu from and fewer hospital admissions.

“The flu vaccination has been rigorously tested and clinically proven to be the best defence against the flu virus. It does not give you the flu, as it doesn’t contain the active virus needed to do this, or any other disease. Contact your GP for further advice.”

The NHS Choices website has more information http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Flu/Pages/Introduction.aspx or visit www.southglos.gov.uk/flu